More NCLEX Strategies

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

http://teach.lanecc.edu/nursing1/trends/NCLEXtips.htm

TESTING STRATEGIES

1. Restate/ Reword the question. Be clear on what is being asked

If there is a lengthy client situation or case study, read the stem question before reading the case study.

2. Read ALL distracters before answering. Evaluate each distracter for ability to answer the question asked. It may give correct information but not answer the question.

3. Focus on eliminating responses instead of seeking the "right"answer. In the NCLEX there may be more than one answer that is correct. You are looking for the BEST answer. Focus on eliminating responses and the best answer will surface.

4. Priority Setting - use the frameworks of Maslow Hierarchy, ABC , "unstable before stable" as priority setting guides.

5. Use nursing process sequence - Assessment should occur before intervention. Even in a code you assess breathing and pulse before "911"

6. Safety - do no harm. Err on the side of promoting physical safety for pt .

7. Take care of patient before you take care of equipment.

8. Consider and uphold the 5 Rights of Medication administration standards

9. Don't spend alot to time on questions you don't know, and realize that there will be questions you don't know. Don't panic - try to eliminate responses - then make an educated guess.

10. If part of the answer is incorrect, the whole answer is incorrect.

Although very few, you may find negatives in the question stem. Be alert to these.

11. If you really have to guess - look for responses with

broad focus ("multiple aspects of the child's life are affected" rather than "frequent fights with peers") and average length of answer (not shortest, not longest)

12. Be wary of answers that have absolutes (always, never, only, etc) in them. Be wary of answers that make the client seem inferior, unworthy or ignorant. When asked about numerical values or dates, the one in the middle range is more oftern correct.

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Specializes in med surg, telemetry, stroke.

Thank you so much for these tips. I am printing them out. I am a 48 year old nursing student who just graduated ll/18/05 and am waiting for my ATT to test. I graduated with an A, but as I study for NCLEX feel not ready to take it based on my scores in the practice tests. I am scared to death to fail. I live in California so don't know how long it will be before I get my ATT. I feel like I need another month of serious study???????

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I, too, graduated from a California LVN school. Based on most of our experiences, you will probably receive your authorization from the state approximately 5 to 6 weeks after you completed school. It all depends on when your school sent your paperwork to the state. I completed school on Oct. 14 and received my state authorization on Nov. 21.

Most of all, good luck to you!!! You can do this! ;)

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Specializes in med surg, telemetry, stroke.

thanks for your encouragement. i did receive my letter from the state, but they messed up on our program code so we have to wait two weeks for them to straighten it out in order to register for testing. i am finishing my first NCLEX review book (Delmar) and plan to start Mosby's this week. i really want to pass this test the first time. i am continuing to take my last four pre-reqs for the RN program also. It's so hard---------------but i really want to get to work. do you work in a hospital? that's where i want to start in med/surg. however our hospital (antelope valley) only starts LVNs at $16.00/hr. that is really bad i thought after paying all this money to go to nursing school (i went to a private school $18,500). anyway, will let you know if i can pass it (hopefully take NCLEX in Feb). Take care.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
thanks for your encouragement. i did receive my letter from the state, but they messed up on our program code so we have to wait two weeks for them to straighten it out in order to register for testing. i am finishing my first NCLEX review book (Delmar) and plan to start Mosby's this week. i really want to pass this test the first time. i am continuing to take my last four pre-reqs for the RN program also. It's so hard---------------but i really want to get to work. do you work in a hospital? that's where i want to start in med/surg. however our hospital (antelope valley) only starts LVNs at $16.00/hr. that is really bad i thought after paying all this money to go to nursing school (i went to a private school $18,500). anyway, will let you know if i can pass it (hopefully take NCLEX in Feb). Take care.
A lot of people live in the Antelope Valley and drive to the San Fernando Valley to work at hospitals. Here are a few Valley hospitals that hire LVNs.

1. Olive View/ UCLA Medical Center - Sylmar

2. Providence Holy Cross - Mission Hills

3. Providence Saint Joseph - Burbank

4. Encino Hospital - Encino

5. West Hills Hospital - West Hills

6. Kaiser - Panorama City and Woodland Hills

I hope this helps. Good luck to you and always believe in your abilities. You are supposed to be your own number one fan. :)

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Specializes in med surg, telemetry, stroke.

You are awesome! Thanks so much for this information. I really don't want to have to commute, but with only two hospitals in the antelope valley, I may be forced to. We are building a new hospital in Palmdale but it will not be done till 2007. Anyway, this information is so helpful and I appreciate it so much. Have you started working yet? Waiting for license? I'm sorry if I missed that information in your posts??? What part of California do you live in?

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
You are awesome! Thanks so much for this information. I really don't want to have to commute, but with only two hospitals in the antelope valley, I may be forced to. We are building a new hospital in Palmdale but it will not be done till 2007. Anyway, this information is so helpful and I appreciate it so much. Have you started working yet? Waiting for license? I'm sorry if I missed that information in your posts??? What part of California do you live in?
One month ago I moved from California to Texas. I took my NCLEX exam 2 days ago and am currently awaiting the results. I am originally from Oxnard and lived in Bakersfield for 2 years. I attended LVN school in Van Nuys and graduated in October '04.

Since I attended school in the Valley, I am very familiar with the San Fernando Valley as well as the greater Los Angeles area.

By the way, I drove 180 miles round-trip to LVN school back and forth from Bakersfield to Van Nuys on a daily basis for one entire year. I guess I am an oddball, because commutes don't bother me. That's why my screen name is 'TheCommuter'.

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One month ago I moved from California to Texas. I took my NCLEX exam 2 days ago and am currently awaiting the results. I am originally from Oxnard and lived in Bakersfield for 2 years. I attended LVN school in Van Nuys and graduated in October '04.

Since I attended school in the Valley, I am very familiar with the San Fernando Valley as well as the greater Los Angeles area.

By the way, I drove 180 miles round-trip to LVN school back and forth from Bakersfield to Van Nuys on a daily basis for one entire year. I guess I am an oddball, because commutes don't bother me. That's why my screen name is 'TheCommuter'.

I lived in Oxnard when I was a child. My younger sister was born there. I just went back to visit 2 years ago. It is VERY different now!

I commute on a train 3 hours each day. I use the time to study, so I don't mind it. I don't think I could handle 180 miles of driving every day, though! Wow!

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I lived in Oxnard when I was a child. My younger sister was born there. I just went back to visit 2 years ago. It is VERY different now!
When you say Oxnard is very different, you must be referring to its overcrowded state and demographic changes. I was born and raised there and noticed that, about 10 years ago, the strawberry fields and lemon groves were rapidly being swallowed up by developers who built endless tract homes and strip malls.

I commute on a train 3 hours each day. I use the time to study, so I don't mind it. I don't think I could handle 180 miles of driving every day, though! Wow!
Yeah. I don't know how I did it. I am truly an oddball. :uhoh21:
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Specializes in med surg, telemetry, stroke.

Sorry, I missed that you were in Texas, must be my menopause kicking in. You definitely know the area. Thanks so much for the list of hospitals with LVNs. How do you like Texas? Better than California??? I will be rooting for you in passing your NCLEX. Will keep checking back here for your good news soon!!!! I'm finishing up my Delmar NCLEX book and doing a little better on the practice tests (86%, 87%). Will start Mosby's next. Did you use those books? Just got my revised eligibility letter last night so me and another student will register for the test today and hopefully get a date begininng of Feb. Have a great day.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
How do you like Texas? Better than California???
The culture is drastically different here. I have only lived here one month, so I cannot definitively say whether I like it or not. It is, however, less congested than southern California.
I will be rooting for you in passing your NCLEX. Will keep checking back here for your good news soon!!!!
Thanks so much! :)
I'm finishing up my Delmar NCLEX book and doing a little better on the practice tests (86%, 87%). Will start Mosby's next. Did you use those books?
I used the Saunders CD-ROM to a greater degree and Cliffs Test Prep to a lesser degree. I also went to my old nursing school textbook and re-read the chapters of my weakest subjects. I re-read the chapters on cultural issues, shock, emergent conditions, the cardiovascular system, GI, psych, ethical issues, and musculoskeletal.

Good luck with your studies. I have a feeling you'll do very well on your upcoming NCLEX exam. ;)

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I'm from Palmdale also! Did you do the LVN program at AVC? Good luck with Anatomy, micro & physiology at AVC. Killer courses. Micro wasn't bad tho.

I couldn't wait 36 mos. for the LVN prog. at AVC so I'm going to one of the medical schools off 10th & Ave. N. 12 mos course 100% pass rate this last class.

Good Luck!

This is for oldernursingstudent...

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